Bonnieville in Hart County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)

Bacon Creek Trestle

Photographed by Lee Hattabaugh, January 25, 2011

1. Bacon Creek Trestle Marker

Inscription.
The unlucky L&N Railroad trestle over Bacon Creek received harsh treatment at the hands of Confederate raider John Hunt Morgan not once, but twice during the Civil War. The first destruction, in August 1861, was the first of many attacks Morgan would make against the railroad in an effort to confound Union military traffic into the South.

The second attack, the day after Christmas, 1862, pitted Morgan's raiders against an outnumbered 2nd Michigan Cavalry under Capt. Frank W. Dickey, which made a fighting retreat to Munfordville. Col. Edward H. Hobson, commanding at Munfordville, ordered more troops to Bacon Creek to try to lure Morgan into a fight, but Morgan had other plans, plans that led him north to other targets of his notorious Christmas Raid.

Image caption
Union forces survey the wreckage of the Bacon Creek trestle left by Morgan's rebel raiders. Other trestles up the line would suffer a similar fate, but most were quickly put back into service.

Erected by Battle for the Bridge Historic Preserve / John Hunt Morgan Heritage Trail in Kentucky.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic

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lists: Bridges & Viaducts • Railroads & Streetcars • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the John Hunt Morgan Heritage Trail in Kentucky series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1861.

Location. 37° 22.512′ N, 85° 54.169′ W. Marker is in Bonnieville, Kentucky, in Hart County. It is at the intersection of North Dixie Highway (U.S. 31W) and Morgan's Raiders Avenue, on the right when traveling north on North Dixie Highway. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7502 N Dixie Highway, Bonnieville KY 42713, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave Country

and in the Pennyroyal Region.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Bacon Creek Bridge (here, next to this

Photographed by Lee Hattabaugh, January 25, 2011

2. Bacon Creek Trestle Marker

Looking north on US 31W into Bonnieville from near the Bacon Creek bridge.

marker); a different marker also named Bacon Creek Bridge (within shouting distance of this marker); An Indian Ambush (approx. ¼ mile away); On Washington's Guard (approx. 6.4 miles away); John Ireland (approx. 7.1 miles away); John Muir & Robert Munford (approx. 7.1 miles away); William Clark and Family (approx. 7.2 miles away); Albery Allson Whitman (approx. 7.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bonnieville.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 1, 2021. It was originally submitted on January 28, 2011, by Lee Hattabaugh of Capshaw, Alabama. This page has been viewed 1,586 times since then and 40 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 28, 2011, by Lee Hattabaugh of Capshaw, Alabama. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.